Morel facts, hunting and storage tips and more

The state estimates there are more people in the woods during the month of May, than in November during hunting season.

Marilynn Smith of Petoskey has studied mushrooms for more than 25 years, and has spent the last several years teaching courses at various nature centers and research stations in Michigan.

Whether you’ve been mushroom hunting for decades or want to try out morel hunting for the first time, Smith has some tips.

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What is a morel?

Morels are fungi. While they aren’t considered plants, fungi are similar in growth habitat.

“The morel is just the fruit,” Smith explained. “All fungi are animal like in that they feed off other organisms.”

Morels and other fungi eat off decomposing organic matter such as wood and leaves. They can also obtain food directly from plants as parasites or mutualists.

“There are various types of morels, but the most common are dark black, yellow, and white,” Smith said. “There is also a type called early or false morels.”

While false morels can be eaten, it’s not recommended.

There are poisonous mushrooms in Michigan, so Smith urges those who do head out in search of morels, to make sure they know how to identify them.

When are morels in season?

“One thing people don’t realize is that the fall is actually mushroom season,” Smith said. “There are more edible mushrooms found in the fall, but since morels are so popular, the spring is usually when a lot of the mushroom hunting takes place.”

While the morel season varies year to year depending on the weather, Smith said generally the last week of April into the first week of May is prime time.

“I’ve picked 30 or so in the last 3 weeks, so they’re out there. The season was a bit early this year thanks to the warm temperatures and moisture,” Smith said.

Where do I find morels?

“When I go out, I like to look in mature woods,” Smith said.

In the past, Smith searched for morels near elm trees, but now she heads to ash trees. Many people also have luck near poplar trees.

Since morels feast on dead wood, looking around fallen trees is a good place to start.

“Just look anywhere, I’ve seen them grow in basements in June,” Smith said.

Morels are believed to grow in every county in Michigan.

Keep notes about when and where you find morels — they will often occur in the same spots at the same time in later years.

Hunting Tips

Since most of the mushroom is underground, it will not kill or harm the morel if you pick it.

“You should cut the bottom of the morel off, as opposed to yanking it out of the ground,” Smith said. “It helps preserve the vegetative-like portion in the soil.”

Many people believe that using an onion bag, or similar type of sack to collect morels will help spread spores, but Smith said there isn’t any real evidence to support that idea.

How to store morels?

“Morels should be kept in the refrigerator, in a dry container or paper bag. You can also wrap them in wax paper,” Smith said.

If properly handled, fresh morels should last about a week.

Morels also can be cut in half and dried for future use and stored in a plastic bag.